Sometimes radiation therapy can cause the skin on the part of your body receiving radiation to become dry and peel, itch (called pruritus), and turn red or darker. Your skin may look sunburned or become swollen or puffy. You may develop sores that become painful, wet, and infected. This is called a moist reaction.

What does skin look like after radiation therapy?

Sometimes radiation therapy can cause the skin on the part of your body receiving radiation to become dry and peel, itch (called pruritus), and turn red or darker. Your skin may look sunburned or become swollen or puffy. You may develop sores that become painful, wet, and infected. This is called a moist reaction.

How long does skin discoloration last after radiation treatment?

Skin reactions usually settle down 2 to 4 weeks after your treatment ends. You might also get redness or darkening on the other side of your body to the treatment area.

What does radiation dermatitis look like?

Symptoms of radiation dermatitis skin redness or pinkness, known as erythema. skin swelling, or edema. dry, peeling skin, called dry desquamation. skin that thins and weakens called moist desquamation.

Does radiation dermatitis go away?

The skin after radiotherapy may look healthy, but the occurrence of chronic postirradiation reaction may develop suddenly and with various severity. Chronic radiation dermatitis is usually an irreversible and progressive condition, which may heavily deteriorate patients’ quality of life.

What does a breast look like after radiation?

After radiotherapy, the skin of the breast may change colour. It may become darker with a blue or black tinge. It may also be more sensitive. It is important to protect the area from strong sunlight by covering up with clothes or using a sun cream with a high sun protection factor (SPF).

Does skin peel after radiation?

During the first week or two of radiation treatment, you may notice a faint redness and your skin may become itchy or tender. After three to four weeks, your skin may become dry and peel, or you may notice moist areas. Later effects of radiation may include darkening or thinning of the skin.

Will my skin go back to normal after radiation?

Once radiation treatment is finished, skin cells will grow back. The moist reaction should go away 2 to 3 weeks after treatment. During treatment, try to keep your skin as dry as possible and free from infection until it heals.

Does radiation cause hyperpigmentation?

Radiation-induced hyperpigmentation is often permanent, although the darkness may decrease over time. Dark skinned individuals and those treated with both chemotherapy and radiation therapy may experience more noticeable skin darkening.

Does radiation change breast tissue?

Changes to the breast tissue usually go away in 6 to 12 months, but it can take longer. External beam radiation therapy can also cause side effects later on: Some women may find that radiation therapy causes the breast to become smaller and the skin to become firmer or swollen.

Why does breast shrink after radiation?

This side effect is usually mild. Sometimes the breast can shrink a little over time. This is because radiotherapy can make the breast tissue contract so that the breast gradually gets smaller. An implant in a reconstructed breast can become hard (capsular contracture) and may need replacing.

Does breast shrink after radiation?

In time radiotherapy can cause the breast tissue to change shape or shrink in size a little. This can happen to your natural breast tissue or a reconstructed breast. After radiotherapy, the breast might feel hard and less stretchy. This is due to a side effect called radiation fibrosis.

What happens to your skin after radiation treatment?

Your skin in the radiation treatment area might look red, irritated, swollen, blistered, sunburned, or tanned. After a few weeks, your skin might become dry, flaky, or itchy, or it may peel. This is sometimes called radiation dermatitis. It’s important to let your cancer care team know about any skin changes.

How can you tell if a baby’s skin has changed?

The skin still often turns red when the infant cries. The lips, hands, and feet may turn bluish or spotted (mottled) when the baby is cold. Other changes may include: Milia, (tiny, pearly-white, firm raised bumps on the face) which disappear on their own. Mild acne that most often clears in a few weeks.

What are the side effects of wearing a radiation patch?

The adhesive can irritate and damage skin treated with radiation. If you need to wear a patch for medical reasons, apply it to skin that has not been treated with radiation. Take a break from products that contain fragrance. Makeup and skin care products often contain fragrance, which can irritate your skin and cause a reaction.

What kind of skin does a newborn baby have?

Newborn skin will vary, depending on the length of the pregnancy. Premature infants have thin, transparent skin. The skin of a full-term infant is thicker. By the baby’s second or third day, the skin lightens somewhat and may become dry and flaky.